Google DeepMind and Boston Dynamics partner to bring AI to humanoid robots

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 06, 2026 at 17:20  |  3:15  |  CNBC
Speakers
Deirdre Bosa — Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check

Summary

CNBC's Deirdre Bosa reports from CES on a new partnership between Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind to bring AI to humanoid robots. She highlights that robotics is moving from theoretical AI to physical form, with the real competitive race in the intelligence layer. The segment also notes NVIDIA's and AMD's robotics efforts, and frames the US-China rivalry in AI robotics as a matter of industrial capacity and supply chains.

  • Boston Dynamics and Google DeepMind partner to bring AI to humanoid robots.
  • Deirdre Bosa says robotics is taking center stage at CES 2026.
  • The intelligence layer, not hardware, is seen as the key competitive battleground.
  • Alphabet is powering Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot with Gemini.
  • NVIDIA is applying its AI infrastructure playbook to robot training.
  • AMD is partnering with Generative Bionics on a humanoid robot concept.
  • China's Unitree robots are noted as more advanced in commercialization.
  • The US-China race in AI robotics is drawing Washington's attention.
Ideas
Deirdre Bosa Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 0:29
AI-powered robotics is next big theme.
Robotics is taking center stage at CES and shifting from AI in theory to AI in physical form. The real race in 2026 is in the intelligence layer—the software and AI that allow humanoid robots to learn tasks, swap batteries, and pass skills to other robots. Once the form factor is established, improvements come through software, making the intelligence layer the key differentiator. This is a broad theme with the US advantaged in intelligence and China in manufacturing and deployment.
Humanoid robotics HIGH
Deirdre Bosa Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 1:46
Alphabet powers robot intelligence with Gemini.
Alphabet's Google DeepMind is partnering with Boston Dynamics to power the next-generation Atlas robot with Gemini. Alphabet previously owned Boston Dynamics before selling it to Hyundai, but is now back powering the intelligence layer with Gemini. This signals that the intelligence layer—not hardware—is where the biggest companies see value, and Alphabet is positioning itself to control how robots are trained and improved over time.
GOOG MED
Deirdre Bosa Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 2:06
NVIDIA applies AI playbook to robotics.
NVIDIA is deeply involved in robotics. At CES, Jensen Huang's keynote said NVIDIA will go after the intelligence layer using the same playbook that worked in AI infrastructure, now applied to how robots are trained and upgraded. This suggests NVIDIA can replicate its AI data center dominance in the robotics training and intelligence market.
NVDA MED
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This CNBC video, published January 06, 2026, features Deirdre Bosa discussing Humanoid robotics, GOOG, NVDA. 3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Deirdre Bosa  · Tickers: Humanoid robotics, GOOG, NVDA